Before everyone cries out in fear, this has not passed the house yet (which it must do), and the president hasn’t signed it yet (so he can veto it). It does not change the fact that the Senate of the United States stands directly against freedom. People who live outside of the United States have long known that freedom from the United States was a sham, the United States has no respect for freedom or human life otherwise they wouldn’t be a afraid of wikileaks.

I am a domestic terrorist and promote peaceful, non-violent, resistance to an abusive government. I don’t believe that property damage is violent and I believe that demonstrating your anger through the use of damage is an acceptable form of protest. I believe the in the words written within the declaration of independence that says:

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness—-That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

ALL men are created equal, and ALL have basic human rights including, but not limited to; Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That those people who shall be ruled must only be ruled by those who THEY recognize as authority and when a government stands against its citizens then it would be not only acceptable, but an obligation to dissolve those chains of oppression and start anew, regardless of the difficulty… to ensure that a new government can protect the citizens and provide safety and happiness.

I am an EcoTerrorist, because I understand the basics of the environment and know when you eliminate one part of the chain, every organism is affected. Whales are sentient creatures and I believe that they should be protected, and while a whales life is no more important than a humans life, it is an acceptable risk to protect a creature which can think and feel but not protect itself. I believe the Japanese’ actions in Taiji are horrible and should be stopped immediately by whatever actions nessesary. The United States raping the land of the natives just to seek out more resources, instead of promoting a way of life that does not need those resources should be viewed as a crime against humanity.

I am a treasonist and believe that people should question government, I believe that to make a fair vote for a leader I should have full knowledge of what that leader has done. I respect whistleblowers, and feel that they should be the ones who get to live in the ivory tower, not those who torture and lie. Information should be free, and the world is waking up to that… but the United States and governments around the world stand by the notion that spreading truth should be against the law. I am also a treasonist because I don’t find my government perfect, here in Canada we live under a dictatorship. There is no democracy in a system where one man can tell over half of parliament what to vote, and then they vote for it.

I am an education terrorist and I give away knoweldge for free that a corrupted copyright system tries to hold, monopolize over, and keep for power and money. I am in the business of tearing down those established systems for a new system which allows all humans to have access to all knowledge of the world. Education shouldn’t be something that is profited from, and our books and culture shouldn’t be deprived from other people because they live in other countries. Knowledge wants to be free, and I will free it.

Finally, because I suggest that we should live in peace and because the United States and many other nations around the world profit on war… I am a terrorist of love… and I will declare my love jihad on every government in the world. I am Travis McCrea, I am a terrorist, but more importantly I am a pirate.

David, I understand where you are coming from. The idea here is to say that according to governments and corporations I am a terrorist. I feel that it’s very much like the origins of the Pirate movement, we called ourselves pirates because that’s what they labeled us as.

They label my actions terrorist actions, then I am a terrorist. Certainly not as sexy as Pirate, that’s for sure… but if that’s what they think of me, then that’s what I am.

I will be traveling back home next week to the states, let’s see how much grief I get when trying to cross the border.

Hmm… i see the analogy, but there is a significant difference between pirates and terrorists:

There are no real pirates around anymore (except very very very few Somalians), so the populous does not have any developed aversion against pirates, in you even can find them in children books, they are even usually shown in a kind of positive way like in “pirates of the caribian”.
The ordinary citizen is not afraid of a pirate needer of a Internet pirate nor of a real pirate.

But there are real terrorists around this days (ok, they are also very very very few ) and does not pose a real threat (not bigger than a car accident anyways).
Never the less the ordinary citizen is afraid of terrorists.

That is a valid argument. I, in my last statement, was not trying to say that the pirate party is a bunch of terrorists. That certainly would not be the imagery that we would want to associate ourselves with. Hell, many people don’t associate themselves with the Pirate Party for the same reason.

I am simply saying that due to the decisions of one of MY governments, I am going to be suspected as a terrorist.

People are afraid of terrorists, it’s nothing sexy like pirates… but it also is what it is. I am not boarding a small boat to hijack a ship, I *AM* trying to help organize the overthrowing of a system… by most definitions I am more closely related to a terrorist than a pirate.

I do recognize your point though, and it’s not something I write lightly. I don’t WANT to be a terrorist… I love the idea of being a pirate… but they are creating a system which makes me one.

The Line

December 13, 2011

“I believe that demonstrating your anger through the use of damage is an acceptable form of protest”
So did the mafia, protesting non-payment of their debts with baseball bats. This makes you no better than those you are protesting against.

Yeah… the Mafia did (and some would argue, do) use physical violence against other humans. Let’s also not forget that it’s a legitimate form of protest, to protect your rights… not to cause fear.

If you burn down a crack house (I don’t want to get into the debate of drugs, I just can’t think of a better example right now), and no one is inside… it directly prevents the efforts of the drug dealers and the manufacturing process so they stop getting their product out.

If police are abusing their authority, then by busting out it’s windshield they cannot drive around in that car to hurt someone else.

I also, certainly don’t believe it’s a solution to every problem… but when things are really bad, and we are on the cusp of revolution, I would prefer to try and use destructive actions to hopefully prevent the next step of violent revolution.

There is a MASSIVE difference between causing damage to a thing and damage to a person. e.g. breaking windows vs. breaking bones.

Spitz

December 13, 2011

Yeh, awful legislation, real treason against all people of USA. It already happened. So, how to fight back?

Senate approved indefinite detention and torture of Americans.
The terrifying legislation that allows for Americans to be arrested, detained indefinitely, tortured and interrogated — without charge or trial — passed through the Senate with an overwhelming support from 93 percent of lawmakers. Only seven members of the US Senate voted against the National Defense Authorization Act despite urging from the ACLU and concerned citizens across the country that the affects of the legislation would be detrimental to the civil rights and liberties of everyone in America.

Resist any illegal measures:
* Destroy the RFID chips in your passport and drivers licence (if there is one).
* Wear rotating masks while in public
* I would say shoot down the predator drones that this will approve to fly over us soil, but I don’t see a safe way of doing that.
* Do not answer any cop ever, for any reason. If he asks how your day is going, just polietly refuse to answer and walk away.
^ I might even add to that and say that any time you see a cop… run. Sure they will chase you, and might even detain you for a bit… but for every minute you are being supervised by a cop, you are fining your local government (because they are paying that cop for every minute they spend with you).
* Prepare. Some of my first posts talked about preparing for a revolution. I am not saying one is going to happen soon, or one will happen at all. However, better to be prepared for it.

There are other tactics that I use to cost money to the people who are trying to take away my rights without violence or without property damage, but I will just say “be creative”

And as I said above: This law never passed. It only passed senate. there is still two more steps it must go though. Do a youtube search for “I’m just a bill” to watch the video every American child is shown in school to understand the process.

ForskarGurra

December 14, 2011

Well, wouldn’t the simplest solution be just to emigrate? People of the Sovjet Union did that, (esp. eastern Germany). Germany seems to be pretty neat now.. With a population who know the values of liberty, at least for a couple of more decades.

Forskar, I would argue that Germany still lives in fear of it’s past and thus cannot move forward: They censor any display of a swastika for instance (so they have to modify Call of Duty games, and Castle Wolfinstine is banned), and they have other various symbols and things that they censor. You have to import your games from outside of Germany.

However, I have emigrated… I left the United States for Canada, but I have found that the United States has corrupted Canada as well. I would suggest that all pirates all converge on one location, but have fun trying to get citizenship. I would love to move to Sweden, but unless some Swede want’s to marry me… I will have a very difficult time.

ForskarGurra

December 14, 2011

“Gurra” is more like the nick

I would argue that Germany fears Stasi and DDR more than it fears Nazism. 20 years ago the Berlin wall fell and Germany was united, meaning in practice that 40+ Germans understand freedom, in exess to the 40- Germans who understand the importance of a free internet. There are people still alive who have lived through the “cold war”, splitting german families and the entire german society.. The Nazi-Germany? Well some people from that time are still alive, but not as many.

Roughly half of the germans have lived with a police state less than 20 years ago and the other half have lived separated from them. I guess you couldn’t say the same about US or very many other countries.

Pirate politics binds the german society together. The young and the old really have something in common here: they all understand the values of democracy and freedom of speech. Another important aspect is the economic strenght of Germany – still having a large export which is NOT as dependent on immaterial values as much as the US economy is today.

But they don’t have free speech when they have all sorts of limits on it, especially when in relation to WWII terms and imagery (for instance Holocaust denial).

I am not saying I support these things, but the conversation about these things should not be banned. It also sets the precedence that unpopular ideas can be outlawed.

Plus Germany has all the “Child Protection” laws, which are always bullshit. Child Protection is the liberal’s “National Security”.

ForskarGurra

December 15, 2011

No country is perfect, I guess. But if there is any democratic country around now where the citizens know the real dangers of surveillance – and not will accept terrorism as a motivator for surveillance – it is Germany. First the surveillance in Nazi Germany – followed by the cold war, DDR and Stasi…

I don’t know specifically which “child protection laws” you mean. You mean parents don’t have any right to beat their kids? In that case Sweden will probably dissapoint you as well. I think Sweden was first in the world with that kind of legislation.. The law about banning physical abuse is a really good law imo. However this child porn hysteria has really gotten out of control. Wouldn’t surprise me if parents were to get charged for doing child porn if they have photos or movies of their kids from their vacation – playing and running around naked et.c.

I am always torn over the idea of emigration. I know this makes me a bit of a hypocrite because I do not live in my own country right now. However, I have always intended to go back and felt a responsibility to make things better there rather than jumping ship.

Of course, the situation is different when you have more than one nationality. But for me, barring a direct threat to my life or family I would prefer to stay and fight for a better country than flee to one. Maybe this is just stupidly idealistic, though…

ForskarGurra

December 15, 2011

Yes I agree, I am also torn over that idea. Somehow you feel that you have an obligation to try and help improve society in your home country where you feel that it has failed. However – that can be done in many different ways. By catalyzing the movement in a neighboring country, you may be able to show your fellow citizens “hey guys, this stuff actually works here! why don’t we try it at home too?”. Using the momentum of whatever chances may pop up I would say is necessary to succeed on a large scale and the situation in Germany really seems to be a golden chance for pirate politics everywhere.

Spitz

December 15, 2011

Less than a month after he threatened to veto terrifying legislation that would cease constitutional rights as we know it, Obama has revoked his warning and plans to authorize a bill allowing indefinite detention and torture of Americans.

Good think I am visiting my family in the states this week… I doubt they will do any massive sweeps the first week it comes out, at first it will just be the extremists. The funny thing about taking out the extremists… is that it just sets the bar for extremist much more moderately.

While I am POSITIVE you are breaking the no trolling rule, I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you are just a negative person and not trying to troll.

Let me start by letting you know that I love you, and I am sure that your beliefs are fostered from your upbringing and life experiences instead of through compassion and critical examination. It is great to have someone who believes something different because it allows us to evaluate our own decisions.

If you want to see if you can get me arrested, I will be crossing the US/Canadian border at Bellingham on Amtrak within the hour, if you hurry up you might be able to call them and report me. Amtrak police’s phone number is 1-800-331-0008.

You can contact Canadian Border Patrol (who I would be going through) 204-983-3500
506-636-5064 (you have about 45 minutes before I get to the crossing)

However, if you feel this trouble is exactly what I am looking for you don’t have to either. Just wanting to make sure that you can protect your invalid, terrorist government from people who use critical thinking.

Jason, I suggest in the future when you want to comment… give me something to ponder, instead of just throwing around pointless insults. I love having another side of an issue to consider. Also make sure you read the articles, so you would know that this isn’t as much about copyright, but about the other issues the Pirate Party deals with.

Also, FYI we have a Pirate Party in Florida, you should check them out… maybe they have beliefs that line up more closely with your own.

Voting with your feet is a time-honoured practice and has saved many lives. Unfortunately, most expats just want to live free and stay under the radar. They lose their sense of home and don’t ever really fit in to their new home. (I speak from experience: I left the US for Canada in 1968 and Canadians still say I act like a Yank! Look how close those two countries are in language and TV brainwashing, for example.) As activists (“terrorists”), I think the most important part is choosing a bolt-hole where we can make a difference in making the world a saner place. Travis, I doubt you’d make as much of a difference in Sweden as you do with the Pirate Party of Canada. And look at what a great fuck-you the pirate Tormovies.org site is. Nobody wants to be a centre-shot, and resistance to injustice is exhausting not to mention choosing your battles carefully to avoid burnout. If you have a conscience, there will be injustices you cannot walk by. And we all know electoral politics is a waste of time and uses up our abilities for real change. Developing fearlessness is probably the most important part. In some places, one can be disappeared, kidnapped, killed, deported. But mostly the worst govt can do is gaol you. Don’t think this is such a great sacrifice. In fact, risking gaol for truth and conscience is just an entry-level commitment. On the other hand, my long-suffering wife tells me she does not want to be Mrs. Gandhi! Frankly, Travis, at 40 years older than you, I don’t have a lot of hope people will wake up and things will start to get better; I’ve been getting arrested for civil disobedience since I was 13—that’s 1963!—and things are waaaay worse now. But I can’t stop fighting, either, because I don’t see many taking up the torch and willing to take these risks. If I don’t speak up, who will? CJ Hinke, Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)

I neglected to speak to the issue of property damage or sabotage. I am an absolute pacifist but I don’t think one can commit violence against property, only against people. And there is a long, proud historical tradition of sabotage with the IWW and early anarchists. However, fights for freedom are largely waged in the media. If you can cost the despoilers beaucoup dollars in corporate downtime, hit them where it hurts, and slow down their rapine to allow other public and political processes to ensue, only then should you, say, spike those trees. Your arguments ring true to me, Travis, about the fundamental effectiveness of smashing a police-car windshield. But the perception of the public will be simple hooliganism. I know we’ll never convince the wider public anyway but it’s better not to have them actively against us which, of course, puts them on the side of govts and corporations. Even though the Occupy encampments were peaceful until the police rioted, the public thinks they were violent. Far better to get a hassle by running from the police and tying up their resources. CJ Hinke, Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)

Illuminator

January 24, 2012

Its true the simple minded solutions called policies that the US brings up actually causes collateral damage across the world and most importantly to itself. A revolution is indeed needed but must not make things worse than now. Its great that your approach is taking full advantage of democratic rights but you must exercise caution as you will never know when you have crossed lines driven by the totality of your prejudices and the title of this article would no more be an analogy.

gazprom

May 13, 2012

Well, seems like a fun show to join. But being a brown man i would never joke about that kind of thing. Humor, irony and sarcasm are the first of the gang to die.

Meta

All original text on this site is under a Creative Commons Zero license ("public domain"). That includes any comments you submit. Syndicated articles that were first published elsewhere (clearly marked as such) are under the original license, typically a very permissive Creative Commons. Powered by Probewise.